Technology key in government, BPM can make it happen

Tara Charles

March 14, 2013

A current vision for government operations is far from the historic reality – efficiency. From Capitol Hill to state government offices, many people are becoming aware that traditional ways of supporting public services are not getting the job done, especially from a fiscal perspective. Mounting debt is combining with growing concern over spending to create an environment in which government organizations get more done while spending less money. This vision of efficiency could be reachable if public agencies find a way to integrate innovative IT capabilities into day-to-day operations. A recent Red River study found that many people looking at the current government setup believe that technology represents the answer to efficiency problems.

Getting all of the technology to come together is one issue with this long-term vision of IT-driven government. Many government organizations have been conservative about IT innovation for a variety of reasons. As a result, the business process change needed to support IT investments is considerable. This creates an environment in which government bpm solutions are often integral in maximizing the value of technology and process change in government.

Considering IT innovation in the public sector
Many of the respondents to the Red River study agreed that cutting spending is an important bi-partisan effort in government. When it came to solving the issue, approximately 63 percent of those polled said they think technology is key in helping government organizations improve productivity while reducing expenses. Jeff Sessions, senior vice president of corporate strategy, explained that the growing need for efficiency creates an environment in which return on investment needs to be a priority for government-technology investments.

“The government needs to ensure that its technology purchases are providing a significant return on investment. Our industry must deliver on the ultimate taxpayer promise: streamlining processes and automating tasks to save money and maximize service,” said Sessions. “There are actions that the federal government can take today, which can deliver significant benefits and efficiencies. We see telework expansion as a prime example.”

Using BPM to create an ROI
While technological investments offer opportunities for innovation, operational potential often goes unrealized until IT change is applied to business processes. BPM software can play a vital role in making this happen by providing data integration, process automation and underlying social functionality that is vital to making the most of emerging technologies. As a result, many experts agree that BPM is among the important technological considerations for government organizations trying to generate ROI from IT spending.